TOP GEAR star Richard Hammond is backing a new Children's Trust website which provides information and advice for families of children with acquired brain injuries.

Hammond himself suffered a brain injury in a 288mph crash while testing a Vampire jet car for Top Gear in 2006 - so the Brain Injury Hub has real relevance for the Tadworth charity's vice-president.

He said: "There are thousands of children in the UK living with the long-term effects of an acquired brain injury right now.

"Their injury will have a major impact on every aspect of their life, their education, relationships with family and friends and their future.

"The entire family needs robust information and support, but until now that just hasn’t been widely available.

"The Children’s Trust’s Brain Injury Hub will at last provide these families with the information they need and a forum to share their experiences. I’m proud to give it my backing."

The content of the website is based on the specialist clinical expertise that has been developed at The Children’s Trust during more than 25 years of providing services to children with acquired brain injuries.

One parent, Katie, said it had been a valuable resource whenever her family had any questions or fears about her daughter's future.

She said: “Our daughter suffered a stroke when she was just six-years-old. Every child with a brain injury is different, but having a place to go to for information or support from other families would have made a world of difference, not just to us, but also to our daughter’s grandparents, teachers and extended family."

She said the information on the site had explained many of the challenges her daughter faces due to her brain injury.

Katie added: "Thanks to the Brain Injury Hub we now have new tactics and suggested methods of helping her overcome these challenges, so that she can live her life to the full.”